The objectives of this part are:

To describe the obligations of all parties who are required to comply with the federal consistency requirement of the Coastal Zone Management Act;

To implement the federal consistency requirement in a manner which strikes a balance between the need to ensure consistency for federal actions affecting any coastal use or resource with the enforceable policies of approved management programs and the importance of federal activities (the term “federal action” includes all types of activities subject to the federal consistency requirement under subparts C, D, E, F and I of this part.);

To provide flexible procedures which foster intergovernmental cooperation and minimize duplicative effort and unnecessary delay, while making certain that the objectives of the federal consistency requirement of the Act are satisfied. Federal agencies, State agencies, and applicants should coordinate as early as possible in developing a proposed federal action, and may mutually agree to intergovernmental coordination efforts to meet the requirements of these regulations, provided that public participation requirements are met and applicable State management program enforceable policies are considered. State agencies should participate in the administrative processes of federal agencies concerning federal actions that may be subject to state review under subparts C, D, E, F and I of this part.

To interpret significant terms in the Act and this part;

To provide procedures to make certain that all Federal agency and State agency consistency decisions are directly related to the enforceable policies of approved management programs;

To provide procedures which the Secretary, in cooperation with the Executive Office of the President, may use to mediate serious disagreements which arise between Federal and State agencies during the administration of approved management programs; and

To provide procedures which permit the Secretary to review federal license or permit activities, or federal assistance activities, to determine whether they are consistent with the objectives or purposes of the Act, or are necessary in the interest of national security.